Paul Andersons Rule Box Office With ‘Resident Evil,’ ‘The Master’

It was a good weekend at the box office for directors named Paul Anderson.

“Resident Evil: Retribution,” directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, grossed $21.1 million from 3,012 North American locations for a No. 1 opening, while Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” earned an impressive $729,745 from just five locations. The two directors aren’t related.

“Retribution,” from Sony Corp.’s Screen Gems division and Constantin Films, is the fifth installment of the science-fiction series starring Milla Jovovich. To date, the franchise has grossed nearly $700 million.

The latest film appealed primarily to males, who made up 64% of the audience, and those under the age of 25, who made up 45% of the audience. Forty-eight percent of the audience saw the film in 3-D.